This invention relates to the construction of projectiles in general and, in particular, to a new and useful armor-piercing projectile which comprises a shell body having a core therein with a front diameter which is larger than a rear diameter portion and includes a liner disposed around the rear diameter portion made of pyrophoric material which is dimensioned so that it does not project beyond the front portion of the shell body.
While, on the battlefield, so called soft targets are fought with explosive or splinter shells as a rule, hard core shells are used for armored targets. In order to increase their penetrating power such a core may also be used as a subcaliber projectile in a sabot projectile, whereby the core is carried down the gun bore by a sabot.
It is further known to provide armor-piercing shells with a pyrophoric lining in order to set the interior of the armored target afire after penetration. Such a lining in armor-piercing shells is usually provided at the tip of the shell core or at the rear thereof.
Certain bounds are set to a successful use of such shells. These bounds substantially relate to the concept or design and they necessarily follow from the fact that the capability of shells provided with the pyrophoric lining of producing an incendiary effect over the entire range of impact angles is very limited, particularly in the flat angle range.
The use of armor-piercing shells having a core of depleted uranium, which itself has intrinsic pyrophoric properties is controversial, because of their radioactivity and toxicity and therefor is left out of consideration. That's why the present invention is of special interest mainly for such shell cores, which itself have no sufficient pyrophoric properties.